Shoe-polishing machine.



W. G. MEFFORD.

SHOE POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 5. I9I6.

1 ,21 7,803, Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

3 SHEETS SHEET 1-.

WWW WGMWWQ 7421, 1 I. W mmgm W. G. MEFFORD.

' SHOE POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 5. I916- Patented Feb.2 7,1917.

v w. G. MEFFORD.

SHO POLISHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5. l9l6- 1,21 7,803Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET S- Mal/77% wzzhfim 'ms mmms Firms CILIHOYU-lnfll,wasumnrou. u c

WILLIAM G.- ivrnrroan, or Ava, MISSOURI,

SHOE-POLISHING MACHINE.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

Application filed'October 5,1916. Serial No. 123,963.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, WILL AM G. Mnrronp, a citizen of the United States,residing. at Ava, in the county of Douglas and State of Missouri, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Polishing Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved machine for polishing shoes, the object ofthe invention being to provide an improved machine of this kind which isautomatic in operation, which may be readily driven by an electric motoror other type of motor, which requires but slight power for itsoperation and which serves to simultaneously polish the front, sides,and heel of the shoe, and while the same is being worn.

The invention consists in the features of construction, combination, andarrangement of devices, hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings a Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalsectional View of a shoe polishing machine constructed and arranged inaccordance with my invention. v

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view of the same on theplane indicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same on the planeindicated'by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the same on the plane indicated by the line44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of one of the revolving brush shafts.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing a preferred form of gearing.

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing a modified construction of powertransmitting devices.

The main frame 1 is preferably of oblong rectangular form and isprovided on its sides near its front end with bearings 2 for the shaft 3of the front polishing brushes 4. Near its rear end, the frame isprovided in its sides with vertical slots 5 at the lower ends of whichare bearings 6 for the shaft 7 of the rear brushes 8 which serve topolish the heel of the shoe. Vertical slots 9 are in the sides of theframe at a point a suitable distance in front of the slots 5 and in thelower ends of said slots 9 are bearings 10 for the shaft 11 of thebrushes 12 which polish the sides of the shoe between the front vandheel. A foot rest 13 is supported above the bottom ofthe frame and isprovided with a raised heel support 14 which is connected tothe footrest by an arched arm 15 which "passes overthe center of theintermediate brush-shaft 11 and is connected at its front end' to thefoot rest by a hinged joint 16. Hence the heel rest may be swungforwardly away and from the said intermediate brush shaft 11 as will beunderstood to permit the removal ofzthe intermediate section of saidshaft on which the brushes 12 are secured.

-On one end of the brush shaft 11 is a large spur gear 17 which engagesthe spurgears 18, 19, which are respectively on the front shaft 3 andrear shaft 7 and hence the said shafts 3 and 7 are revolved, in the samedirection. Said shaft 11 also has a pulley 20 which is connected by apower belt 21 to the driving pulley 22 of an electric motor indicated at23. Any type of motor may be employed for operating the machine andseveral of the machines may be operated by the same motor.

I The top 24 ofthe frame is removable, has an opening 25, through whichthe foot may be placed with the shoe on, on the foot-rest. The top hasdepending side and end walls 26 to bear on the outer sides of the sideand end walls of the frame and is also provided at points'spaced fromthe side walls of the frame with depending walls 27 which have slots 28to clear the brush shafts. Hence the top may be raised and removed fromthe frame to afiord access to the interior parts, when desired.

The front brush shaft 3 comprises a main intermediate member 29 and apair of end members 30. The member 29 is provided at its ends withtransverse slots 31 for the reception of projecting lugs 32 on the innerends of the end members 30. The brushes 4 are circular and areprovidedwith bristles 33 on their opposing sides. Said brushes are spaced aparta suitable distance. The opposing ends of the members 29, '30 of theshaft are threaded to receive tubular coupling nuts 34 which coact withthe slots 31 and lugs 32 to detachably couple the shaft members 29, 30together. The said shaft is also provided with coiled springs 35 whichbear between the coupling nuts 34 and the brushes. That portion of theshaft member 29 between the brushes 4 is provided with radially arrangedbristles 36 of suitable length.

The shafts of the side and heel brushes are of similar construction andthe heel brushes 37 also have inwardly extending bristles 38 on theiropposing sides and radially arranged bristles 39 of suitable length onthe intermediate portion of the rear shaft 7. The side brushes 12 are ofless diameter than the front and heel brushes and are provided withinwardly extending bristles 41 on their opposing sides. lVhen the shoewhile being worn is placed on the foot rest with the heel on the heelrest, the front portion of the shoe is arranged between the lower sidesof the front brushes, the sides of the shoe are arranged between theside brushes and the heel of the shoe is arranged between the heelbrushes and when the brushes are revolved by the operation of themachine, the shoe is thoroughly polished at all points as will beunderstood.

A foot rest 42 is secured on a cross arch 43 which extends across thefront end of the cover 2%. The said arch is provided at one end with aholder d ffer blacking or polish and is also provided at its ends withholders -il-5, lti, for brushes l7,-it8 for use in applying theblaclring or polish.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings, I show a modified construction in which thebrush shafts 3, 7 and 11 are respectively provided with pulleys 50, 51,52. The pulleys 50, 51 are connected together by a belt 53. The pulley52 is connected to the pulley 51 by a crossed belt 54. Said pulley. 52is driven by a power belt 55 from the power pulley 56 of a suitablemotor. Suitable guide pulleys are also provided for the belts as shown.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the advantages of construction and of the methodof operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art towhich the invention relates, and while I have described the principlesof operation of the device together with the device which I now considerto be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood thatthe device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may bemade when desired, as are within the scopeof the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a shoe polishing machine, a shaft mounted for rotation andcomprising a center member and end members detachably connectedtogether, brushes on the center member of the shaft and coupling nutshaving threaded engagement with the meeting ends of said shaft members.

2. In a shoe polishing machine, a shaft mounted for rotation andcomprising a center member and end members detachably connectedtogether, brushes on the center member of the shaft and coupling nutshaving threaded engagement with the meeting ends of said shaft members,the said brushes being movable on the center shaft member toward andfrom each other, and springs between the brushes and the nuts andyieldably holding the brushes in place.

3. In a shoe polishing machine, a front shaft, a rear shaft, and anintermediate shaft mounted for rotation, said intermediate shaft beingparallel with and arranged between the other shafts, each of said shaftshaving a pair of spaced brushes provided with bristles on their opposingsides arranged substantially parallel with said shaft and said frontshaft and said rear shaft being each also provided with a brush betweenthe spaced brushes and having radial bristles, and means to rotate saidshafts so that said front and rear shafts rotate in the same direction.

t. In a shoe polishing machine, a front shaft, a rear shaft, and anintermediate shaft mounted for rotation, said intermediate shaft beingarranged between the other shafts, brushes on the several shafts, eachof said brushes having bristles on its inner side, and afoot restarranged below the intermediate shaft and provided with a heel supportand an arched portion connecting said heel support and foot rest andhingedly connected to .the latter, said arched portion extending overthe intermediate shaft and said intermediate shaft being removable.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WVILLIAM G. MEFFORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

